The Freeze are a punk rock band from Cape Cod, Massachusetts formed by a group of teenagers in 1978.[1][2] They released the first single, "I Hate Tourists" in 1980 and contributed 8 songs, including the title track to the 1982 hardcore punk compilation This Is Boston, Not L.A.

The band is known for their dark lyrics, original punk rock melodies, and their longevity. A lot of their early lyrics deal with alienation, drug-use/abuse and paranoia (especially of the church, government and those exercising authority over others in general ). A constant theme or thread regarding apathetic observers or people willing to give up their freedoms for fear of losing their "security" is also apparent in their work.

The Freeze's first release was the "I Hate Tourists" / "Don't Forget Me Tommy" single, released in 1980. The Freeze's music was picked by Newbury Comics' in-house label, Modern Method Records, which released several of the Freeze's songs on the Boston hardcore compilations "Unsafe at Any Speed" and This Is Boston, Not L.A. in 1982. The Freeze's title track for that album was used in a television commercial for Newbury Comics on local UHF music video station V66 with the song's penultimate word bleeped out. The band also re-recorded "No One's Ever Coming Home" for Flipside Vinyl Fanzine, Vol. 1, released by Gasatanka Records in 1984.[3]

Clif Hanger’s punk band has pushed the edge since 1979. “I basically like to tell stories,” says Clif Hanger, lead singer of Cape Cod’s longest surviving punk band, (The Freeze). And what stories...

Influenced by The Ramones, The Clash and other early punk bands, Hanger put together The (Freeze) in 1978. A friend scraped up enough cash the next year to make 2,000 copies of a single, the now legendary “I Hate Tourists.” Featuring punk rock’s prototypical simple riffs and high-speed guitar work, the song voiced in raw fashion the emotions that many year-rounders share but feel uncomfortable stating. According to a band history, “A Christian group tried to ban it. The Boston Phoenix voted it one of the top 10 local singles of the year. It was fun.”

“On ‘One False Move' (released in March 1999), the deranged find their own ways out,” Hanger says. “They all die, except for one - and who knows what will happen to him in the end?

“Most of the lyrics are fact-based to a degree. I like to pick a twisted feeling and just run with it as far into the extremes as possible - as you can probably tell".

“Hopefully there are people who will read some of my lyrics and say ‘Maybe I don’t have it so bad’ when they look at some of the horrifying subject matter.

“There really have never been lyrics written about this sort of psychological suffering, regrets, suicidal ideation, shame. It's at the fringe, the survival line. If I can’t come up with more unique topics, then It's time to give up.”

Today in July 2017, after 39 years, 8 tours, 9 cd's and a couple dozen songs on compilations and assorted singles, (The Freeze) seem to have some positive momentum.. In October of this year, a highly anticipated split Lp featuring (The Freeze) together with their friends from the "This is Boston not LA" days- Gang Green will be released. Rumors of both bands playing, at least a few shows together on the West Coast before heading back to Boston together. 2017 is the 35th Anniversary of Boston not LA and there's rumor of up to 6 of the 7 original bands on it getting together for at least one show...
This October (The Freeze) will have another new song on a Halloween themed compilation album, on Cleopatra records, which will also feature Iggy Pop, The Damned, TSOL, DRI etc... This twisted ride is no where near over...